KUCHING: The Sarawak Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department has issued a total of 140 summonses on motorists found to have illegally modified their vehicle’s exhausts.
This was recorded in the first five days of their statewide operation, which kicked off on March 1 and would run until March 10.
According to department’s chief Supt Alexson Naga Chabu, the key objective is to clamp down on vehicle owners whose illegally-modified exhausts are creating unnecessary noise pollution.
“Within these first five days, we have checked a total of 2,774 vehicles comprising 1,032 cars, 1,005 motorcycles, and also 737 other vehicles such as lorries,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Alexson also said a total of 67 operations involving roadblocks and spot checks of vehicles had been conducted in cooperation with the Department of Environment (DoE) and Road Transport Department (JPJ).
DoE Sarawak, he added, had issued five notices / compounds during these operations, while JPJ issued five.
Apart from issuing summonses on those found with illegally-modified exhausts, police also issued 719 summonses for other traffic offences.
These offences included not wearing seatbelts, with 23 summonses; modifying the appearance of vehicles (71); overloading (58); motorists not having valid driver’s licences (35); motorists failing to produce driver’s licences when requested (59); licence plate not up to set requirements (69); usage of unauthorised ‘fancy’ licence plates (71); broken brake lights (36); riders not wearing helmets (30); using mobile phone while driving (21); no side mirrors (54); failing to display the ‘P’ sign (28); motorists with expired driver’s licences (24).
“Police also seized 15 motorcycles and one car during the operations,” said Alexson.